Late
in the eighteenth century, John Boston became Australia's first serious brewer
with his drink brewed from Indian corn bittered with cape gooseberry leaves.

But
if you have beer, you need a pub and in 1796 Australia’s first legal pub, the
Masons Arms, was built in Parramatta by James Larra. Coincidentally, Larra was a
Frenchman who was deported from London for stealing a tankard (maybe he was
already thinking of setting up a pub).

Hops
were first successfully grown in Australia by James Squire in 1804. His
achievement did not go unrecognised. The Government Gazette of 16 March
1806 states that he was awarded a cow from the governor’s herd for his
efforts. Although Squire was a pioneer in this regard, his brew may not have
been that great. An epitaph on a gravestone in a Parramatta churchyard bears
this amusing encryption:

YE WHO WISH TO LIE HERE
DRINK SQUIRE’S BEER!

Today
Squire is honoured by the Malt Shovel Brewery with its excellent James Squire
Ale.

A chapter in Squire's story is printed on each
label (there are six chapters in all). We are pleased to say that the new
Squire Ale is a true amber nectar and the epitaph no longer applies!

On
16 September 1804 Australia’s first government owned brewery commenced
production in Parramatta (the same area where the first pub opened its doors a
few years previously). Settlers were actively encouraged to grow barley and to
trade it for beer. Australia’s first and last government brewery was
privatised two years later. It was purchased by Thomas Rushdon who was its head
(and only) brewer.

On 23 December 1804 a rival
brewery is established by Mr P. Larken who places the following ad in the Sydney
Gazette:

"Larken’s Brewery. Ales-Pale, Brown and Amber; Twopenny, and
London Porter, etc, prepared after the system of the British breweries. The
advertiser respectfully hopes that the general introduction of these
wholesome, long and justly celebrated English beverages, as tending to
supersede the too destructive use of ardent spirits, will recommend the
present undertaking to the attention of the colony from its prompt
conduciveness to health, sobriety, and economy."

Somewhat
different from the beer advertising of today! But effective
nonetheless.